The Man Who Can't Stop Hiccuping

I was looking for something to watch on BBC I Player and came across this documentary. I couldn't believe how well he coped with having such a debilitating condition. Here is the description of the programme from the site;

To most people hiccups are a temporary minor irritant, but to 25-year-old Christopher Sands his hiccups are a living nightmare. He hasn't stopped hiccupping for over two years. He can't sleep, can't work, can't eat properly and has tried hundreds of remedies that just don't work. His doctors have no idea why they started or how to stop them. This film follows Chris's desperate story as he refuses to give in to his hiccups and goes on an exhaustive search to find a cure. But is there one?

The most amazing thing is he had tried every option that was available to him in the Uk and had endured many tests by NHS doctors who couldn't find anything wrong. Then a Japanese tv programme read about him on the internet and paid for him and his sister to fly to Japan for more tests. While there he was given an mri scan which revealed a tumour on his brain stem. Doctors in the uk didn't think that he required an MRI so he was never given one.

i watched that also it was amazing and i am so glad it worked out for him in the end

18th Jan 2010

I didn't see this but what ever happened to the girl from the states that had this for years?She was in the the guinness book.

Original Poster

18th Jan 2010

wulshaz;7577625

i watched that also it was amazing and i am so glad it worked out for him … i watched that also it was amazing and i am so glad it worked out for him in the end

Yeah, I was really happy for him at the end. He had been through so much and he coped with it so well. I think I would have given up, I couldn't imagine having hiccups non stop for 2 and a half years. Not eating properly, sleeping, having a job.

18th Jan 2010

What about that crazy Japanese "doctor" that wanted to stick a big needle in him at risk of puncturing his heart? Fecking weirdo!!

18th Jan 2010

Was so glad for him in the end - poor guy, really felt for him.

Original Poster

18th Jan 2010

j9mcl;7577808

What about that crazy Japanese "doctor" that wanted to stick a big needle … What about that crazy Japanese "doctor" that wanted to stick a big needle in him at risk of puncturing his heart? Fecking weirdo!!

Ha ha, I know and the japanese doctor was also moaning about the way Chris was reacting to the treatment. I mean, did you see those imprints on his back, no wonder he was wriggling in pain, lol I am glad he didn't let him go through with that final stage of treatment, it would have been pointless anyway considering it was a brain tumour in his head giving him the hiccups!!

18th Jan 2010

Christopher had the operation in September. He was warned that he might need a wheelchair or walking stick for a couple of months afterwards, need speech therapy and lose the use of his left hand.

He now suffers numbness in his left leg and has lost the use of his left arm. He says: "Within a week I was out of hospital and I could just about walk. I didn't have any of the other problems.

"I don't regret having the operation at all. I could not have left the tumour there anyway - it's also a huge relief not to hiccup any more.

Christopher had the operation in September. He was warned that he might … Christopher had the operation in September. He was warned that he might need a wheelchair or walking stick for a couple of months afterwards, need speech therapy and lose the use of his left hand.He now suffers numbness in his left leg and has lost the use of his left arm. He says: "Within a week I was out of hospital and I could just about walk. I didn't have any of the other problems."I don't regret having the operation at all. I could not have left the tumour there anyway - it's also a huge relief not to hiccup any more."Hopefully, with exercise, my left arm will get better."Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/real_life/2803984/I-had-hiccups-for-three-years-but-it-saved-my-life.html#ixzz0cwp1ClK4

Aww, what a shame, I thought it had all turned out okay for him in the end, didn't realise he went on to suffer those problems with his leg and arm. Poor guy, I really felt for him when he found out that it was a brain tumour causing his hiccups. It would make me angry to think that the NHS didn't do an MRI scan when they did all their other tests, therefore being cured sooner but he didn't even seem that mad about it. Thanks for the link :thumbsup: